This blog contains information about the basic teachings and history of the FLDS Church.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Warren's Petition to the President

On October 7, 2010, Warren Jeffs wrote down a purported revelation from the Lord to President Obama warning him that he should free Warren from prison, stop the legal prosecutions, and return UEP land and control to the FLDS. If these demands were not met, the wicked would be swept off of the continent.

After Warren was transferred to his Texas prison in Big Lake, he issued another revelation on February 5, 2011. Since no action had been taken by President Obama, this new purported revelation was in response -- a lengthy, rambling, repetitive warning to the entire United States if America.

I will attempt to analyze this revelation illustrating its rambling and repetitive nature. I will also show some great inconsistencies with this proclamation in comparison with a proclamation to the President of the United States under somewhat similar circumstances by church leaders in 1845 that Warren recognizes were true prophets.

Warren’s revelation to the country was simply a message that states: Warren is a prophet, he should be freed from prison and left alone, the FLDS are being persecuted and should be left alone, the entire nation is wicked, legalized abortion must stop, God is very angry, and great destructions are on the way very soon. Essentially, you better leave the FLDS alone and stop your wicked ways, or else. The FLDS are God’s chosen people and they have important work to establish Zion. Don’t get in their way, or else very nasty things will happen to you.

It took eight pages of rambling over and over again to get this message across. Let’s take a look at the repetitive points. At least 16 times warnings were given that judgments, earthquakes, and other nasty things would happen to the nation in revenge. Eleven times the issue of abortion was brought up as being a terrible sin. Each time it was mentioned in the same way without much further insight, just rambling repetition. Eight times it was mentioned that Warren was a prophet, the Lord’s servant and that he better be listened to, or else. Eight times it was mentioned that the FLDS were being persecuted, six times that they needed to establish Zion, Six times was an order issued to “Let my people go” the same statement used by Moses to Pharaoh.

Warren claims these words came from the Lord Jesus Christ. If this is true (even in just Warren’s mind) why isn’t this consistent with other published revelations that came through Joseph Smith who Warren recognizes as being his religion’s founder. It is simple to read such revelations side by side and see the great inconsistencies in tone, word usage, biblical parallels, and overall structure. The 2011 “revelation” is simply angry ramblings of a paranoid man in prison who wants to keep his iron-fist power over his little kingdom. The revelation passes no possible tests for a true revelation.

The FLDS claim authoritative roots back to 19th century Mormonism. In 1841-45, there is an interesting parallel situation and revelation to compare to Warren’s revelation. The Church had experienced intense persecution, leaders imprisoned, government oppression, and property loss. In 1841 Joseph Smith issued a revelation attributed to have come from the Lord instructing him to issue a proclamation to the President of the United States.

It is interesting to compare the words of Warren’s Lord with that of Joseph Smith’s Lord and their strategy for approaching a non-believing president. Warren’s Lord is boastful and threatening, “is over you and has all power.” He warns that he “shall subdue all His enemies under his feet.” Essentially this Lord is saying, I have all power, get out of the way or I will crush you. There is no love expressed and no invitation to come to Him. This voice sounds rather like a demanding Warren Jeffs who lived for years ruling with a demanding iron fist but now is behind bars.

In 1841 after years of intense persecution, Joseph Smith’s Lord instructed him to write a proclamation to the president and kings of the world. “Let it be written in the spirit of meekness.” The desire of this Lord is that He “will visit and soften their hearts, many of them for your good, that ye may find grace in their eyes, that they may come to the light of truth…” (see D&C 124) This Lord also warns there will be consequences “if they reject my servants and my testimony which I have revealed unto them.” But the major difference is that this Lord hopes to convert and save others. Warren’s Lord appears to only care about the FLDS and their mission. He considers all others as wicked and apparently beyond saving.

Warren’s Lord’s message to the president is: Repent and get out of the way. Joseph Smith’s Lord’s message to the president was: Repent and come unto Jesus, accept his gospel and work with us. The FLDS believe both Lords are the same and both messages to be scripture. If so, why the huge difference? Why in just 170 years has the Lord’s message changed so radically? In 1841 Joseph Smith’s followers believed they were building up Zion and that Jesus would soon return. The FLDS believe the same in 2011. However, their approaches are totally different. The FLDS have isolated themselves to the point where they believe no others can convert and join them, the rest of the world is wicked and lost. Their message is: Repent, get out of the way, and prepare to be destroyed. They now totally reject the teachings of Joseph Smith’s Lord instructing followers to proclaim his gospel, and seek to convert the rest of the world to the truth.

For reasons unknown, Joseph Smith never issued the proclamation to the president. He was martyred in 1844. However, his successor, Brigham Young and his quorum of apostles did issue the proclamation in 1845. It was a lengthy 16-page pamphlet. The message was inviting: “we send unto you, with authority from on high, and command you all to repent and humble yourselves as little children before the majesty of the Holy One; and come unto Jesus with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and be baptized in his name for the remission of sins.” Warren’s Lord would never give such an invitation. His doors are closed to converts.

The 1845 message to presidents and kings was, “man can be saved.” There was still time, clear until the second coming of Jesus to put lives in order, “and thus be prepared to escape all the things that are coming on the earth.” Yes judgments and destruction will come, but there was and invitation “to take an active part [in building up Zion] in it from this day forward.”

Warren’s angry Lord seems to have forgotten these invitations and only cares about the FLDS. “This earth is mine, and I have caused my people to receive a preparation work for my glorious coming on earth to establish my Zion, and they are my people. Let them go!” The implication here is that all others are not Warren’s Lord’s people. He accuses all others: “You deny me” and warns that they soon will be destroyed.

Near the end of the rambling revelation, there is an invitation to repent. This invitation even goes so far to invite the wicked to receive His message of salvation from authorized FLDS leaders. This is curious because these leaders are not seeking to help save anyone except those born within the FLDS Church.

It has now been several months since Warren’s rambling revelation. No doubt he has been delighted to hear about the tragedies of tornados, floods, and fires during the past few months. Just as he believed that Hurricane Katrina was sent by has vengeful Lord in response to Warren’s pleadings, he likely is also taking credit for the tragedies experienced during the spring of 2011. Yet we still are awaiting the great earthquake he predicts will hit Illinois.

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

That's pretty intense. I love that Warren Jeffs rules through fear and when he tries to pull the same crap on rest of the world, we raise our eyebrows and say, "Riiiiight." It's sad to see so many brainwashed individuals, but when terrifying insanity is all you've ever known, what else can we expect? To us, this seems bizzare, but most - if not all - of his followers were raised in this environment. It's kinda like children who grew up in alcoholic families. If daddy and mommy drink until they pass out, then that's normal and acceptable behavior, but if you're on the outside looking in, you know that's not right. Just like Jeff's god is all wrath and no love. Reminds me of the greek gods more than the christian version.

You know....I just don't feel sorry for those women. Yes they're born onto the lifestyle.... Yes they have no (or very little) access to the outside world.....but NO I don't feel sorry for them once they become mothers and do nothing to protect their kids. That's a natural instinct......